A man was caught on camera grappling with an emu on a rural road in Salcombe, Devon, only to be headbutted by the giant bird before it escaped. The enormous creature is believed to have broken free from its enclosure before being wrestled to the ground in the extraordinary encounter.
Roadside showdown caught on film
James Barker, 46, captured the remarkable showdown on film while driving along the road on September 9. The footage shows a man struggling to keep the exotic bird under control as it fiercely resists being restrained. The man can be heard shouting: "emu down, emu down!" — while an alpaca looks on from behind the farm gates.
After a tussle lasting at least 20 seconds, the emu headbutts its would-be captor, sending him sprawling across the road before bolting back into the gated property it had fled from.
Witness describes the bizarre scene
James, who was in fits of laughter throughout the incident, said: "It's not something you see every day! I had to take video otherwise people wouldn't believe me." He added: "I saw the bird on the road, so I pulled up to let the guy get hold of it - but it was too funny not to try and film. The alpaca stood in the gateway made the scene. It was evident the bird was not quite so keen to get back to his home!"
James's wife, Ro Barker, posted the clip on social media, where it has since racked up over two million views. One user commented: "You can't make that up, this has made my day." Another remarked: "Only in Salcombe!"
